Mission Impossible
by Claira McGarrett
Summary: Claira has been feeling guilty for some time and this story will eventually get to the bottom of it and thanks to a scientist from Europe now in the US.


**MISSION IMPOSSIBLE**

**TRY**

Claira Phelps jumped off the school bus at the corner of her fathers apartment block and headed through the building to the apartment floor and moved up to the door and slowly unlocked the door and walked in. She looked into the living room to see Jim's team just wrapping up.

"Sweetheart." Jim said moving up to her and giving her a kiss.

"I didn't know we had a job."

"Neither did I until well, we've already been through that. Look, you go get yourself changed while I see the team out."

"No position for your kid in this job you've suddenly acquired, ha?"

Jim looked at her.

"Can we discuss this later?"

"Discuss what exactly?"

"Not now, Claira." He said giving her hand a big squeeze.

"Alright, I can take a hint." She said grabbing her bag and heading in to her bedroom and closed the door.

That evening, after dinner, Jim sat down to read some of the paperwork he had already written over the job to be undertaken by his team. Claira moved through the kitchen and grabbed a light snack and moved behind Jim noticing he was busy reading.

"So, where are we going this time? Bosnia, Sardinia or heaven forbid, Russia." She said jumping on to the couch making sure Jim's concentration was broken over the paperwork.

"As a matter of fact we're staying right here in the good old US of A." He said pulling his papers towards him making sure Claira's dinner did not get anywhere near him.

"We are?" She said looking at him with astonishment.

"Yes, we are."

Claira turned away and started to tuck into her snack.

"I see."

"You do?" Jim said looking at her.

"Yeah, staying here meaning I'm not invited point blank."

"Claira, it does not mean that. Yes, you aren't going to be involved with this job but, that is not because there is no need for you. You have crucial exams coming up that will play a pivotal part in your life at this important moment because this is the first step towards choosing your high school and then your college."

"Dad, I'm not even a teenager and you're talking about high school, college even." She said making sure Jim could see her attitude.

"Which all come up very quickly sweetheart believe me, I've been there."

"Meaning, if I don't do well in my exams I will never grow up to be Jim Phelps?"

"You know what I mean as much as I do." He said touching her hand. "Now, if you can excuse me..."

"Don't tell me, someone has a job to do."

"We all have jobs to do." He said kissing her hand then went straight back to his paperwork making Claira look very put out.

A few days later Claira was visiting a local library as a study period where she recognised Tanya, one of Jim's team members.

"Hey, this is the last place I would expect to find you." Claira said moving around Tanya and sat down next to her.

"Well, I'm kind of tied to my contract or something like that."

"Contract, what, my dad?"

"No, my mother, I do have something to do for your dad but my mother..."

"Have you told dad?"

"About my mum, no. Look Claira, I can handle my mum and whatever I have to do for Jim otherwise I wouldn't be here now."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm starting to wonder myself."

"Hurh?"

"Has you're dad told you about..."

"Nothing. I kind of, dad said that I have to concentrate on, on my exams, my teenage years, college you know."

"Well, good luck on that."

Claira looked at Tanya.

That evening over dinner Jim was studying more paperwork between main course and desert.

"I ran in to Tanya in the library today." Claira said trying to get into Jim as he carried on shuffling the papers around the table. "Is something wrong?"

Jim looked up towards Claira.

"In what way up?"

"With this job, the team you've picked."

"Meaning not picking my kid on this occasion?"  
"No, I mean... Look, Tanya told me that she has been having trouble lately with her mum and with this job you have picked her for."

"Are you telling me I might have picked the wrong person here?"

"I don't know, I, I'm not you."

"Thank you. Claira, I know all about the problems Tanya is facing with her mother and this is why I knew that picking her for this part of the job would be just what she needs."

"What is her part in this job?"

Jim looked at her then pulled the paperwork towards him.

"Don't you have homework to do or something?"

"I haven't finished my desert yet."

"Then hurry up and finish your desert and then go and do your homework."

"You're no fun when it comes to your job. When are you going to make a job ours again?"

"Not today." He said jumping up and placing his plate into the dishwasher. "Now, are you finished or what?"

"Would this conversation be the same if mum was here like Tanya's mum still is?"

Jim looked at her.

"Do you want to talk about this now or are you just wasting time before I consider grounding you."

"You're thinking of grounding me for talking about mum?"

"No, I might be grounding you for even thinking that talking about your mother would get me to change my mind over letting you in on this job."

"If she was here today she would make you change your mind in letting me take part in a job even if I had stupid crucial or non crucial exams coming up, as we both know they are." She said jumping up and then placed her dinner plate into the dishwasher.

"That's it, now you are grounded."

"Fine, I didn't want to be anywhere near you the rest of the evening anyway." She said turning around and running off to her bedroom.

Some days later Claira was back in the library where Tanya was again. Claira decided not to speak to her believing that she may still be having problems with he mother. She sat down facing the entrance while reading a book. Sometime later two men walked in and moved around the lower level of the library looking more at the people in the library than the books contained on the shelves. The men then moved towards Tanya and held a conversation with her. Claira finished with one book and started to move around the library when she noticed Tanya leaving with the men. Claira did not think anymore of it and carried on looking around the library. Claira finished her study day and headed towards the exit when Tanya walked back in.

"Hey, hi Tanya." Claira said stopping her at the entrance.

"Hello Claira."

"What did you do back there, snuck out to have a good meal with those two guys I saw you with earlier hoping I would notice?"

"Hurh?"

"The two guys you were talking with about two hours ago."

Tanya looked at her for a few seconds.

"Oh, those guys err, I think they were lost or something. I soon showed them where to go." Tanya said then stepped away.

"Showed them where to go?" She said stopping her. "We're in a library. All you had to do was show them to the main desk and the person there could have helped them out if they were lost."

"I know and that's what I did."

"No you never you..."

"Claira, your father has me on a tight schedule, so if you could excuse me." Tanya said side stepping her and moved towards the back of the library.

Claira watched her go then slowly walked out of the library and caught the next bus home.

She walked through the door of her father's apartment to see Jim talking to Barney. She quickly made her way to him.

"Dad."

"Hi Claira."

"Dad, we've got to talk."

"I know, but later ha sweetheart. Don't you have some homework to do?"

"I have, but dad..." She said pulling his hand.

"Claira, this is important."

"So is what I have to say."

"Don't tell me about your mother, yes?"

"No! What? No, dad please."

"Jim, I can easily wait." Barney said looking to Jim.

"No Barney, Claira can wait, can't you?" Jim said harshly.

Claira stepped away as she heard Jim and Barney carry on talking.

They were soon having dinner where Claira kept quiet and started to play with her food. Jim could not help but notice this.

"What have you been doing today?" Jim said finally breaking the silence.

"I'm surprised you want to know about me after this evening with Barney."

"Claira, I am at a crucial stage of this job. Something happened today that was not expected."

"So what's new? You don't exactly run to a timetable for every job unless that little black folder of yours now accommodates for every scenario."

"Are you still mad at me because of your mother?"

"No, well yes, no, dad you see..."

"Claira, listen to me." He said catching her eye. "I promise you, once this job is safely in the bag I will gladly sit down with you and talk volumes about your mother if that is what you want, but at this present moment in time I am in no mood to talk about anyone's mother, let alone yours."

"Well, what's going on with the job that Tanya has been sworn to secrecy over a situation that happened today in the library?"

"What situation in the library?"

"I saw Tanya talking to two men in suits within the library today. Tanya said that they were just asking for directions for somewhere but you and I both know that all they had to do was ask the lady at the desk and she could have easily of helped them.

"What time was this?"

"Why, do you think it is of importance?"

"Claira, Tanya is part of my team and if something out of the ordinary has happened then I would like to be kept informed."

"I'm your kid, when do I become of importance?"

Jim grabbed his paperwork and flipped through them.

"Do you want me to answer that or are your going to answer my question?"

Claira looked down and sighed.

"Just after lunch, Tanya left the library with them and then returned alone some two hours or so later."

"Two hours?"

"Yes."

Jim stood up and moved to the phone with his paperwork and placed it on the kitchen worktop and called Barney.

Claira watched him then slowly jumped off her seat and moved towards him trying to catch some important words on the pages in front of Jim.

He now pulled the papers away and looked at her.

"Don't even think it."

"What?

"You know what." He said pointing back towards her chair.

"Great just great Claira Phelps, no wonder your old man isn't picking you for his team if you can't even get past him to find out what is written on those papers!" She said jumping onto the kitchen chair and folding her arms.

Everything calmed down for a few more days until Claira had another free study day and decided to keep out of the way of Tanya and kept her head deep in a book. She then carried on looking through a selection of books on a shelf.

"Hey Claira."

She looked through the book shelf to see Tanya looking straight at her.

"Hi."

"Your dad didn't say you would be here today."

"Erm no, I didn't know until my study teacher told me this morning."

"Well, great to see you again."

"Thanks." She said as she watched Tanya move away.

Claira found another book then sat down reading it. Tanya moved up behind her and then sat down next to her.

"Do you know I'd be glad when I get released from this job. My mum is again saying that I do not do enough for her and that I am never home."

"Well all I can say is that's what my dad commands."

"He certainly does. Let me tell you Claira, you are well out of it."

"Excuse me?" Claira said turning to her.

"Your mum, the fact that you haven't got one anymore, thank god."

Claira looked down towards her book but could not read anymore.

"I don't remember my mum."

"Lucky you."

Claira now stood up and moved away.

"Anything wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong."

"Well, where are you going?"

"I don't know yet, maybe get something for lunch."

"It's still early, how about I treat you to something?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Claira, I insist, it's the least I can do for you."

Claira and Tanya headed towards the entrance where the two men that Claira had seen some days before where just coming in. Claira stopped and watched as Tanya nodded to them and moved towards her.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, just do as they say and nothing will happen to you."

Claira was now grabbed and pushed into an awaiting car and someone put a cloth filled with chloroform over her mouth and she soon loss conciseness.

She awoke hours later strapped to a gurney in a cold, dark room. A man moved into her eye view and checked her.

"Where am I?"

"I'm sure you have loads of questions. Just be quiet and relax, it won't be long now."

"Who are you? Who do you work for, the KGB?"

"KGB? Why on earth would you mention the KGB?"

Claira stared at him and swallowed hard.

"Then, where's my dad?"

"That double layer is activated again." A voice said over an intercom.

"Suppress it, I'm nearly through." The man said starting to inject something into her clamped arm.

"Alright, but I have never seen readings like this. We could be dealing with something much, much bigger here."

"We're seconds from perfecting this programme do you want to waste it all now on a child's insecurities?"

"But, it might not be just a night terror, this is too deep and I'm starting to receive pictures and I've no idea who these other people are."

Claira looked towards the man in her eye view and started to hyperventilate.

"That's right, you let the drug take hold Miss Phelps, it wont be long now."

She now fell unconscious again.

Jim checked the oven for the third time and now turned it off as he heard the front door open and quickly went out to see who it was.

"Well, it's about time." Jim said then headed back to the kitchen. "The dinner is nearly burnt." He said turning the oven knob on again. "Do you want to get changed while I serve this up?"

"Get changed?" Claira said moving towards the kitchen door. "Oh changed, yeah." She said stepping away.

Jim moved out to the doorway and watched the door close. He looked down and shook his head.

They were soon having dinner.

"Have you heard anything from your team about the current job their on at the moment?" Claira asked looking over to Jim.

Jim wiped his face with his napkin.

"No, not lately. I think it's on a kind of slow burn at the moment." He said then picked up his knife and fork again.

"I saw Tanya again this morning."

"In the library?"

"Well, where else?"

"Did anything happen?"

"Like what?"

"Anymore men in suits?"

"No, I guess I must have dreamed that or something."

Jim looked at her then put his knife and fork back down and went over to the work unit and grabbed his folder and started to go through some more paperwork.

"Were you there on a study day?"

"Well why else would I be there for dad, except for trying to improve my exam marks for years to come."

Jim carried on reading the notes.

"I guess all Tanya could talk about was her mum again and her current problems with her because nothing was happening while you were both there, ha?"

"Kind of, I don't know." She said starting to play with her food.

"Did she get you thinking about your mum?"

"Well who cares about my mum, you certainly don't and I was a baby when she died wasn't I?"

"Again, you want to talk about your mum over dinner?"

"Why not?"

The doctor moved in front of a screen as Claira focused in on him.

"You see Claira, the computer can take any situation and play on it, making you mad, making you sad. Are you sad now because you never knew your mum? Seeing it having dinner with your father while you lie there, alone" The doctor said watching Claira sitting upright on the gurney in front of a television screen.

Claira stared at the screen as a tear fell from her eye.

"I'll take that as a yes." He said turning to look at the screen again. "The computer reads the situation it has created and with the help of your own brain pattern gives a response that you and only you, Claira Phelps would give."

"We're receiving images again that are contrary to what the current brain wave is producing." A voice said over the intercom.

The doctor moved to Claira and looked at her arm.

"What are you hiding Claira? What is this other brain wave pattern that you are trying to suppress?" He said looking at her. "The first thing you mentioned before your own father was the KGB. Why would you mention such an organisation?" He stepped away and moved to the intercom. "Record the separate images and circulate them to anyone interested in our results."

"At once doctor."

Claira tried to struggle in her bed to find any weaknesses in the restraints holding her down.

"Don't waste your time and energy on them, Claira. Concentrate on the ensuing situation being played out in front of you."

Claira looked at the screen again.

The doctor left Claira alone looking at the screen and moved into the observation room.

"Do you have a present recording of her brain patterns?"

"Loaded and on file now."

"Good. I want you to send any new information straight through to me."

"Well where are you going to be?"

"Checking exactly what we have here."

"What about the child? The computer could require any vital information within seconds."

"She'll give it, whether connected to a recorder or not."

The man stopped him.

"We cannot be that certain, she's just a child."

"A child with a lot of memories already, maybe too many for a nine year old. This might be just what we need to break through." The doctor said looking at the file in his hand.

They now noticed Claira unconscious again.

"I wish I had your courage."

"We can accomplish anything now, maybe my courage could easily be transferred to you one day." The doctor said looking towards the screen then left the room.

Back at the Phelps apartment the following day Claira left her room to see Jim and Barney talking to one another in the living room.

"Hey Barney, I didn't know you would be coming over today." Claira said moving over to them.

"I called him over for a chat this morning." Jim said looking at her.

"Oh okay. I'm going to grab some breakfast; does Barney want to join us?"

"I caught a little something on my way over, thanks anyway Claira." Barney said as they both watched Claira disappear into the kitchen.

As Claira sat down with her cereal bowl Jim walked in and grabbed a cup of coffee.

"How's the job going?

"It's going as well as can be expected." He said leaning onto the kitchen worktop looking at her.

"Any chance of a breakthrough and then finally an end to it?"

"Could be any day now."

"Great..."

"Great as in, I can then get another job and consider my child next time or is there another great that I don't know about?"

"No, I mean great your finally seeing headway. I knew you would." She said finishing her cereal.

"Oh I get it."

"Get what?" She said jumping up and putting the cereal bowl into the dishwasher."

"Hey, what's wrong with a bit of manual labour?"

"Ha?"

"You don't need to add to the dishwasher this early in the day."

Claira looked at the bowl in a clean and empty dishwasher.

"Oh erm, sorry."

Jim turned to look at the paperwork on the table as Claira cleaned her bowl.

"Remind me again, when is this job going to be finished?"

Jim spun round and looked at her.

"Any day now."

"Can't be soon enough for me." Claira said starting to move towards the living room.

"So we can talk about your mother, yes?" Jim said starting to raise his voice.

"My mother?" She said turning back to face him.

Jim watched her reaction.

"That's what you want, isn't it? To know about what happened to your mum."

"Of course, how she died, all the gruesome details."

Jim looked at her.

"Gruesome?"

"Aha, yeah." She said then went into the living room.

Jim turned away to look at his paperwork then turned back to watch Claira moving around in the living room then crossed his arms.

The doctor moved in front of the screen again which made Claira again focus in on him.

"Enjoying your stay?"

"What do you want from me? Who is..., she?" Claira said pointing to the screen behind him.

"She? She is you?"

"But, I'm here, aren't I?"

"Too many questions."

"What do you want with my dad? He won't hurt you, he, he's my dad, that's all."

"That's all ha? Did he hurt your mother?"

"What?" She said starting to stare at him.

"All you have is your father, no-one else. How did you're mother die?" He said stepping closer to her. "Did he murder her?"

"No! She, she just died... I don't know" She said looking down.

The intercom sounded but the doctor and Claira continued to stare at each other. The intercom continued to sound.

"What are you hiding in there, guilt, betrayal? My computer can find you out Miss Phelps; find anybody out of all their weaknesses, their strengths. Anything can be achieved when you get inside somebody's mind."

Claira swallowed hard as the intercom continued unabated.

"What?" The doctor said finally moving to the intercom and pressing the button. "I told you not to disturb me."

"You wanted to be kept up to date with that brain wave pattern. Any changes, remember?"

The doctor looked at Claira staring at him.

"Is that the guilt showing through? The worry you might be found out? By whom, the KGB or you're father?" He said looking at her then turned to the intercom. "I think it's finally time to find out." He said then left the room.

Claira looked back towards the screen and become even more scared and again started to struggle with the restraints.

Claira returned home from school to find the team talking to Jim in the living room.

"What's this, a new job already? Am I going to be in on this one?" She said moving forward to look at them. "Hey, where's Tanya?

"We were going to ask you that." Barney said looking at her.

"Barney, please." Jim said stopping him then moving towards Claira.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means nothing Claira. Barney, Barney was just airing the views of us all at the moment."

"Well, where is she?"

Jim looked at her then his team.

"We don't know yet. Look erm, you go get changed while I talk a few things over with Barney and the others, okay sweetheart?"

"Alright." She said looking towards Barney then stepped back and moved into her bedroom.

Claira soon came back out but the team had already gone and Jim was back looking at his paperwork.

"Again with the papers?"

"Yes, it's non stop at this time of the job." He said looking up and over to her.

"What is it with these papers? What are they for? What do they mean?" She said moving up to him to try and look at them.

"Nothing." He said scrunching the papers in his hand and moving away.

"Nothing for me you mean, right?"  
"Nothing for anyone, period."

"Including you?"

"Claira."

"Okay, okay. I have homework to do."

"I'm glad you remembered." He said watching her go into her bedroom.

They were soon having dinner where Jim was making amendments to the papers.

"You know if I was doodling or even sitting at the table completing my homework while we were having dinner, lunch or even breakfast..."

"Claira, I told you."

"I would be grounded at this point. Why do I have to sit here while you..?"

"Do you have a responsibility? Do you even care what is going on at the moment?"  
"What is going on dad?" She said looking at him. "Is it about mum?"

"Don't, don't even try it."

"Try what?"

"When I get us through this job and I, we, can finally sit down and relax, I will tell you anything you want to hear, but now, here right at this very minute..., just, finish your meal, okay!" He said jumping up and putting the paperwork onto the work unit.

Claira watched him return to the table and carry on with his dinner.

That night, the living room sat to its own silence until a table lamp was turned on and Claira moved around the sofa and over to Jim's black IMF folder and slowly sat into the corner of the seat up against the table lamp. She slowly unzipped the folder and went through the many photographs searching for any sheets of paperwork that reminded her of the papers Jim had been walking around with for the past week or so.

The main light now came on which made her jump up and drop the folder onto the floor strewing the photographs everywhere.

"You know, I had a strange feeling you would try something like this eventually." He said moving up to her.

"What?"

"Claira, really." He said kneeling down and started to collect the pictures.

She now knelt down and moved her head into him.

"I was tired and the folder was just sitting there..."

"Don't tell me, with gooey eyes saying read me, ha?"

"No, I don't think so, but dad you've been very off with me lately and well I guess I'm worried about you."

"Worried about me, what do you think...? No, no..., Claira, just go to bed will you."

"Let me help you clear this mess up with you daddy, please."

"No!" He said snapping at her.

Claira jumped up.

"Why won't you talk about mum?"

Jim did not look at her and started to close the folder up.

"No, let me rephrase that. Why won't you talk to me about mum?"

He stood up and placed the folder back onto the table and turned off the table lamp. He now turned around to find Claira in his path.

"If you're considering grounding me..."

Jim now picked her up and carried her into her bedroom and closed the door in front of her. He heard Claira shout out.

"I hate you when you're like this and I bet mum did too!"

Jim stood with his back against her door and looked around the living room then moved back into his own bedroom and closed the door.

The next day over breakfast, the stand off continued. Jim had made a greasy breakfast that morning when Claira walked in and grabbed a piece of crispy bacon and sat down chewing it.

"Is that all you're going to have today?"  
"Maybe, maybe not. I haven't decided yet."

"Then would you decide please, I do have work to do this morning."

"Yeah, and what's that?"

Jim looked at her.

She now stood up and grabbed a plate and started to look at the warming pan and started to load her plate then moved away and sat back down.

"Do you want toast or a slice of bread?"

"I'm still thinking." She said looking at her plate.

"Fine, I have to go. Make sure you get yourself off to school alright and I'll see you tonight." Jim said getting up and grabbing his coat.

"Ha?" She said watching him get ready.

"I did say I have work today." He said moving up to her and kissing her. "Love you." He added then went out.

Claira watched him go then looked at her breakfast and the empty kitchen and living room beyond.

The doctor turned the screen Claira was watching intensely with off.

"I was watching that."

"That's what you're supposed to do and with relish it looks like." He said turning back.

"Why am I still here?"

"Just maybe I am more pleased with your results than anyone else."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You tell me." He said moving forward. "The KGB, your mother. You are full of little surprises and I haven't finished with you yet."

"I'm beginning to wonder what will happen when you are finished with me." She said looking away.

"Someone has to unlock whatever you have in that mind of yours and I will get there very soon."

"I haven't got anything to unlock. You've put someone in my place to be me with my dad and make it look like nothing has happened, which I can clearly see from the screen." She said pointing behind the doctor. "So how can you unlock anything when you obviously got everything you want from me? It's never going to be the same now, knowing that she..." She stopped and looked down.

"My creation is totally in ore of you Miss Phelps." The doctor said looking at her.

"Thanks. I take it she is your creation."

"No, not quite."

The intercom started to sound again.

"Hadn't you better answer that?" She said looking towards the wall that the intercom was hung on. "No doubt I am speaking even more volumes to your colleagues behind that door."

"No doubt my creation has received rave reviews."

"I beg your pardon."

"Well since you have proved very interesting to my creation you might as well see what is really happening before you die." He said moving the screen and pressed a button.

Claira now sat up staring at the screen.

"Dad!" She said excitedly.

"What?" The doctor said as he now the screen to see what Claira had reacted to just as the door opened and Barney walked in pointing a gun at him. "No, no, this can't be..."

Jim now walked in but Claira could still only see him through the screen.

"Barney." Jim said taking the gun from him and continued to point it at the doctor.

"What's going on? Why can I only see you through the screen?" Claira asked.

"Are you going to answer my daughter, doctor?" Jim said gesturing to him.

"This shouldn't take long Jim." Barney said stepping forward.

"Dad?" Claira said waiting patiently.

"Explain your machine to her." Jim said pointing the gun closer to him.

"Your mind is being controlled, was being controlled by my computer."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that your mind has been separated from your body by the creation of brain stimulants measured by controlling your drive sensors.

"Doesn't anybody speak English around here anymore?"

"He means your body is controlled by the computer and your brain is being stimulated by returning a single loop that Barney is now releasing you from."

"Well how can Barney release me if my brain if my body is no here?" Claira looked at the screen as Claira walked in. "This is what happened to Tanya isn't it?"

"You were far more of an encyclopaedia than her." The doctor said.

"You mean you killed her when her brain was... Would you have treated me the same way?"

"We're ready Jim." Barney said moving in front of the screen Claira was looking at.

"Ready for what?"

"Go ahead Barney." Jim said.

"I'm going to die aren't I? You're going to kill me just like Tanya."

"Just relax Claira." Barney said facing her.

Claira woke up in her bed at Jim's apartment and jumped up. She quickly ran out into the living room and looked around.

"Dad?"

Jim now taped her on the shoulder.

She spun round and saw Jim in front of her.

"You called?"

She quickly jumped into his arms and started to cry as they held each other for some time.

"I'm sorry daddy."

"There's no need to be sorry. You're here, you're alright and you're home."

"What's been happening while I've been attached to that machine?" She said looking at him as he put her down.

"Go get yourself dressed and then we can talk, alright?"

"Okay." She said then went back to her bedroom and got dressed.

Claira walked out of her bedroom and moved in to the kitchen.

"Do you feel up for some breakfast?"

"Okay." She said sitting down.

They soon finished their breakfast and Claira followed Jim to the sofa where Jim had a reel to reel tape machine.

"I was allowed to keep this because I have to explain what has been happening to you in the last few days."

"What is it?"

Jim pressed the start button as the machine came to life.

"_Good morning Mr Phelps. A European scientist, Jean Meier has moved to California with his mind separation machine. This device is capable of controlling the body separate to the brain in such a way that the user is totally unaware and is held in a kind of clean room as the computer uses the information from the brain in a kind or REM state to control the body in a normal everyday status._

_Jean Meier has been prevented of marketing his invention in Europe after the death of a fellow scientist that Meier had used his invention on and burned out his brain receptors and covered up the death as suicide because of the way the computer is able to make the user react._

_Your mission Jim, if you decide to accept it is to uncover Meier's computer and destroy whatever plans he has for this invention in the US."_

Jim now stopped the tape and turned round to look at Claira. A tear fell from her eye and he slowly caught it.

"Was that meant for me?" He said looking at her tear his hand.

"I never even knew."

"You were not supposed to. We've stopped him and you are still here, alive and well." He said turning away and moved back to the kitchen.

They had breakfast where Claira had cereal.

"I can remember everything, our breakfast yesterday, the fighting..."

"Over you're mum?"

"Yes. Why would that be and why did we always go back and argue about mum?"

"It was either that or the KGB."

"I remember now, he, the doctor said that I was showing him guilt and he couldn't decide if it was over mum or the KGB."

"You couldn't decide." Jim said looking at her.

Claira now looked down.

"He really got to me."

"Hey Claira, it's over, let it go, you're here."

"But can't you see dad, it's never going to be truly over, because of the KGB, because..."

"Maybe I can help with one part of that guilt."

"How?"

Jim finished his breakfast.

"By telling you about you're mum."

Claira looked at him.

"My mum?"

"Telling you about her is something that I promised you, didn't I?"

"Well, yes but..."

"This is what I will do for you, if you want to know about her."

Claira now jumped off her seat and went to Jim and jumped up to him.

"I'll take that as a yes, ha?" He said looking down to her as Claira was looking up.

Jim took deep breath and started to talk to Claira as she listened attentively to every word he said.

**THE END**


End file.
